Sturgill Simpson’s unique multi-media project Sound & Fury, which will consist of a new album and collaborative anime film project directed by Jumpei Mizusaki, of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure fame, has finally announced its release date. The album, featuring 10 new tracks, is set to be released on September 27th, while a new music video, featuring clips from the upcoming anime for the single “Sing Along,” has debuted today.
“Sing Along” features heavy cyberpunk visuals and takes place in a dystopian future, paying homage to classic science fiction series such as Mad Max and cyberpunk anime. The track features synths and a hard hitting alternative rock blend, creating tension that meld perfectly with the visuals.
Many of the scenes from this video were utilized in a trailer that debuted earlier this year for the film. This project was first announced earlier this year at Comic Con, where Simpson joined as a panelist for the convention and unveiled Mizusaki and character designer Takashi Okazaki who worked on Afro Samurai, as his collaborators.
“We went in without any preconceived notions and came out with a really sleazy, steamy rock n roll record. It’s definitely my most psychedelic. And also my heaviest,” Simpson explained in a press release. “I had this idea that it’d be really cool to animate some of these songs, and we ended up with a futuristic, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, samurai film.”
While Simpson gained prominence for his unique alternative country style, he has since pursued a variety of other unique sounds in this music. He has also rejected institutions such as the Country Music Awards in the past by boycotting their awards show.
“We just finished the record last week that I’ve been working on for a year (meaning he finished the record in early November, 2018). It’s definitely not a country record,” Simpson explained in an interview with Sarah Silverman.”I can’t question these things. You can’t question these things. You’ve just got to put art on your timeline first, and all the other shit really doesn’t matter I guess is what I’ve come to see and realize.”
Sound & Fury Tracklist
- Ronin
- Remember To Breathe
- Sing Along
- A Good Look
- Make Art Not Friends
- Best Clockmaker On Mars
- All Said And Done
- Last Man Standing
- Mercury In Retrograde
- Fastest Horse In Town
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna